The Fourth Circle of the Wheel of Dependent Origination

1. Avijja (Ignorance): This first link is
illustrated by a man who does not know where he is going as he
cannot see anything and cannot do anything right. He is totally
deluded because of Ignorance. It is the mind full of delusion
and wrong views about matter and mind (Rupa-Nama). As a
result, it keeps on grasping and clinging to the aggregates of
form, sound, smell, taste and mind objects, without any
investigation into the separation of each element and aggregate
from one another. The mind will eventually attach to the belief
that there is a Self, a solid being which will not decay or
dissolve. There is no ability to separate body from mind and no
knowledge of the cause of rising and falling of consciousness.
This delusion about the idea of Self in opposition to others
stems from a lack of insight into reality. In fact these
phenomena are consisted only of the 4 elements of earth, water,
fire and wind, plus intentional activities and consciousness.
Therefore Avijja stands for a deluded human being (Moha) who is
full of ignorance and does not realise the Truth. So he is
portrayed by a blind person.

2. Sankhara (Volitional activities) is represented by
a potter shaping pots on his wheel. He is trying to make
something into a form from the material already available. This
shows the way Form, Taste, Smell, Sound, tangible objects, and
mind-objects are created through mind contact. It is the mind
which is full of impulses, emotions and various thoughts every
time there is a contact between one of the six senses and an
object. Like (merit) and dislike (demerit) will automatically
follow. There will also be neutral feeling (Anechabhisankhara)
which is neither merit nor demerit. So Sankhara is the cause of
impulses and emotions.

3. Vinnana (Consciousness): A monkey holding a crystal
depicts restless mind in which the rising and falling of
consciousness takes place all the time. The crystal represents
virtue. When the crystal is clear, the virtue is there; but when
it is dull, there is none. A house represents the sense spheres
(Ayatana). Awareness must be developed every time there is
contact between one of the 6 senses and an object.

4. Rupa-Nama (Matter and Mind) is portrayed by a man and a
woman on a boat. (Matter is depicted by the boat and Mind by the
passengers). The physical form is represented by the boat and
Consciousness is represented by the people. Though the two
phenomena are different, they have to depend on each other.

5. Salayatana (6 Sense Organs) is depicted by the
image of an empty house with doors and windows which symbolise
the six senses. The house stands for the body, the doors for the
mind, and the windows for the eyes, ears, nose and tongue.

6. Phassa (Contact): A couple embracing represents the
contact from which consciousness of being male and female
arises. As a result, impulses and emotions are produced and
defilements, craving, like, dislike and imbalance follow.

7. Vedana (Sensation) is reflected by a man with an
arrow sunk deep in his eyes and is in great pain. It indicates
the strong feeling which our sensory experience, driven by
impulses, evokes whether it is pleasure or pain.

8. Tanha (Craving) is depicted in the image
of a man smoking opium. He is an addict who always craves for
more and more of the drug. Having no contentment, he cannot have
enough of it. Craving cannot be fulfilled. It is the mind which
causes impulses and emotions.

9.

Upadana (Grasping) is represented by a monkey plucking
fruits from a tree. Grasping them brings about attachment when
he is under the illusion that the fruits belong to him.

10.

Bhava (Becoming): A pregnant woman indicates the
embryo in her womb. Becoming signifies the plane of existence
which corresponds to volitions; it signifies the existence of
body and mind. There is attachment to the concept of 'my place',
'our place', 'our group', 'our nation', Self, love and hate.
Intentional activities continually produce impulses and emotions
with the rising and falling of consciousness.

11. Jati (Birth): A woman giving birth to a baby
reflects rebirth into different kinds of being such as female,
male, animal or other. It is birth into the 3 planes of
existence. It is the mind in which volitions cause impulses and
emotions. Concurrently, consciousness keeps on rising and
falling, followed by love and hate. Birth and existence take
place continuously without end.

12. Jara-Marana (Old age and Death): This last
link is personified by a man leaving home, his belongings
carried in a basket on a pole over his shoulder. This indicates
leaving the body behind as there will be no return. The only
things that can be taken are merit and demerit. The house,
representing property, will have to be left behind. He will be
accompanied by sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, despair,
disappointment, and mourning at the separation from loved ones.
The greatest suffering in life comes at death, which is Marana.
Marana is the mind which has died from good, evil, this world,
the next world, merit and demerit. At every moment the mind is
born and dies. Consciousness, after rising, must fall. This
process is called, "the present death." The death of the (5)
aggregates is called, "the death in the 3 planes of existence."
The ending of the process of rising and falling of consciousness
is called, "the death of the present moment" - each moment is
always dying as mind rises and falls. (Nibbana).